The present invention relates to a video camera and more particularly to a video camera having an improved zoom system which is capable of definitely determining a zoomed portion of an image on a viewfinder.
Many video cameras have an optical magnifying unit and an electronic zooming unit which serve for zooming an image to be recorded. The optical zooming unit has a predetermined magnification capacity, for example usually up to three magnification. When the optical and electronic zooming units are combined, the video cameras are applicable for magnifying the image in higher magnification.
Some of such video cameras have an electronic viewfinder. The electronic viewfinder receives a video signal from the electronic zooming system and indicates the same image as that magnified by the electronic zooming unit on the basis of the transmitted video signal.
On the other hand, some video cameras have an optical viewfinder which indicates an image magnified at a predetermined magnification rate, for example three magnification. In the case of magnifying a portion of the image, the image including the zoomed portion and the peripheral remaining portion therearound is as a whole indicated on the viewfinder. Actually, the peripheral remaining portion of the image is not recorded on a recording medium such as a film. Thus, the zoomed portion of the image can not be identified on the viewfinder and distinguished from the peripheral remaining portion.
There is a demand to provide a video camera having an improved zooming system capable of definitely determining a zoomed portion of an image on a viewfinder.